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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. FRANCE, 0F NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING ARTICLES FROM COMPOUNDS OF PYROXYLINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,753, dated December4, 1888.

Application filed March 3, 1888. Serial No. 266,043. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. FRANCE, a I, citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful E Improvements in Process of ManufacturingArticles from Compounds of Pyroxylinc, of i which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved process for themanufacture of E collars, culfs, shirt-fronts, playingcards, checks, andvarious articles from pyroxyline compounds, said articles being producedby K printing thereon any desired pattern in one or more colors.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a process of manufacturewhereby the ornamental patterns imprinted upon the sheet of pyroxylinecompound shall be practically indelible; and the invention consists incertain improvements upon the process contained in an application filedby me September 8, 1887, Serial No, flail-ll.

I-Ieretofore in the manufacture of articles of the class described ithas been customary to print upon a sheet of celluloid or other compoundof pyroxyline by applying to the surface thereof an aniline inkdissolved in some material which is a solvent of celluloid. In thisprocess, however, the printing is done upon sheets which have been asthoroughly seasoned as practicable, and from which the solvents employedin the manufacture of the celluloid have been practically eliminated.The result has been that the solvents of pyroxyline by which the ink isheld in. solution. can act upon the surface of the celluloid sheet uponwhich they are laid, and before the solvents can effect a substantialresult they are evaporated, producing only a surface eifect, which soonwears off. To avoid this objection and to print an indelible patternupon the sheet of celluloid or other compound of pyroxyline, I takethese sheets when they leave the sheeting-machine, or as soon thereafteras practicable-at a time when the surfaces of said sheets have beenexposed to but little evaporation. In this condition. they contain alarge proportion of the alcohols 0r solvents used in their manufacture,and may therefore be properly termed green or un- 5 seasoned. Upon theseunseasoned sheets I print any desired pattern in any usual manner,employing for this purpose an aniline l ink or color dissolved in anymaterial which is also a solvent of pyroxyline. The celluloid being in agreen or unseasoned condition it contains sufficient of the alcoholicsolvents employed in its manufacture to act as a mordant upon theaniline and absorb the color imprinted upon the sheet. The atoms ofalcohol, being in the body of the sheet, greedily absorb the atoms ofthe coloring-matter, which sink in from the surface and permeate thebody of the sheet, the particles of coloringnlatter taking the place ofthe solvents as the latter evaporate from the sheet. This methodtherefore insures the permeation of the sheet by the pattern to such adepth as to render the latter practically indelible. The printed sheetsare then seasoned by any known methodas, for example, by suspending themin a warm room in a current of air of proper temperature. The printedand seasoned sheet may then be subjected to heat and pressure toincorporate any remaining portion of the color or. ink which from excessremains on the surface of the sheet of celluloid. An imitation of thefiber of linen or muslin may also be produced on the printed sheets bypressure between fiat plates under heat while lying between sheets ofsaid fabrics.

IVhat I claim is l. The process of manufacturing articles frompyroxyline compounds, said process con sisting in printing upon a sheetof said material while in a green or unseasoned condition with an ink orcolor dissolved in a substance which is also a solvent of pyroxyline,substantially as described.

The process of manufacturii'ig articles from compounds of pyroxyline,said process consisting in printing the desired pattern upon saidmaterial as the sheets come from the sheeting mechanism or as soonthereafter as practicable before the solvents contained have evaporated,the ink employed being an aniline color dissolved in some substancewhich is also a solvent of pyroxyline and then seasoning the printedsheets, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I am my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH R. FRANCE.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE E. HAND, WM. H. MEEKs.

